Redeeming Romance
by Shaelynn Stark
Summary: Derek is raped and finds comfort in Rachael. The summary sucks but, hopefully, the story won't. ... I hope. Rated M for rape & mentions of rape. My 1st EVER Legacy fic, so, PLEASE be gentle!


Redeeming Romance

by Shailene Tisdale

It was late. Dr. Derek Rayne found himself in a rare predicament for a man such as himself. He slowly woke up to find himself lying in a dark, damp alley with no recollection of anything that happened earlier in the day until a sudden tidal wave washed over his memory. It was then, that he remembered his clothes being ripped from his body. A gun was pressed to his temple by a strange man standing behind him. He was forced to his knees and then on to his stomach on the ground. A hand covered his eyes as the man silently and violently thrust in and out of him. He remembered feeling as though it would never end and wishing that the man on top of him would just kill him and put him out of his misery. Finally, it did end. The stranger stood and pulled his pants back up around his waist.

Derek was brought back to the present when he was foreced to shield his eyes against a pair of bright lights shining right straight into his face. He soon recognized them as headlights. He couldn't recognize the car until the driver climbed out of the car and Derek heard a familiar voice calling his name.

"Derek? Derek, what are you doing here?" Rachael Corrigan asked, worried for her colleague and the man she had secretly fallen for when they met for the first time after he had brought her back from Ireland. She hurried over to help Derek to his feet. Rachael gasped when she saw Derek's condition. He was badly beaten and covered in blood. "Oh god...Derek. What the hell happened?!" She asked, terrified of what the answer might be.

Derek's response came in the form of a barely audible whisper. "He raped me." Rachael could hardly believe what she was hearing. She was livid at the thought of someone intentionally hurting someone as gentle and compassionate as Derek.

Rachael helped derek to his feet and into the car. The entire drive back to the legacy house was laden with a heavy silence. Derek could see Rachael stealing glances at him out of the corner of her eye. He could tell how worried she was about him but couldn't muster up the will to care about anything at the moment. Rachael laid a hand atop derek's in an effort to comfort him, but, only caused him to nearly jump out of his skin.

"Sorry." He simply muttered. He knew she only wanted to help but he couldn't help feeling a little jumpy. He hated to think that he came off ungrateful. He truly did appreciate all that she was trying to do for him.

"It's okay." Rachael replied, reassuringly. "You've just been through a very traumatic ordeal. It's only natural for you to be jumpy, right now." She knew Derek felt guilty for jumping at her touch. She just hoped she could ease his suffering even just marginally. She hated seeing him like this. It was like she was talking to a total stranger. She didn't even recognize the man she was sitting right next to.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they pulled into the driveway of the Legacy House. Rachael helped Derek out of the car and into the house, where she continued to help him to his room. After he had changed out of his clothes and climbed into bed, Rachael sat beside him on the edge of the bed. "Will things ever get back to normal?" Derek asked, sounding so pathetic it wrenched at Rachael's heartstrings. Her heart ached for Derek and she longed to take all of his pain away. She knew all too well the effects rape could have on the mind and body. It killed her to see all those things happening to Derek.

_He doesn__'__t deserve this! What the hell did he do wrong?! _Rachael couldn't help asking herself, why. Why him? Why Derek? "Yes." She answered. "They will." Rachael knew Derek wouldn't be able to see that she was indeed telling him the truth. "You just have to give yourself some time. Time to get past all the pain you're feeling. Your wounds, both mental & physical, need time to heal. Once they, do, your life will get back to normal." She explained, hoping to be of some comfort to her friend. She slowly & gently reached out to wipe away his tears. This time, he let her.

"I just wish I could forget. I just want to forget everything that's happened, tonight!" Derek declared pathetically. Rachael hung her head in sympathy. She identified with Derek's pain. She knew exactly what he was going through. What she didn't know was how to stop it.

"That won't happen." Rachael explained, defeated, as she watched Derek turn away from her. "You'll never forget what that son of a bitch did to you. But, it will get easier. Easier to live with and deal with." She added, hoping to provide some relief.

"I wish I could believe you." Derek replied, pulling the blankets over him. Rachael sighed as she stroked a lock of hair from Derek's face and gently kissed his cheek and quietly left the room.


End file.
